Home
by purplerosealie
Summary: The Toretto's open their arms to a young girl after her own family falls apart.
1. Chapter 1

Mandated community service meant at 24 years old Dom had returned to high school. As if it hadn't sucked the first time around – although this time at least there was no homework. The position was an office assistant for the staffed nurse, which meant Dom quickly became familiar with cleaning up after hung-over students, changing sheets on the resting cots, and stocking supplies. Basically he was a janitor. Students avoided him, which he was thankful for, it meant he could usually get through the day with minimal conversation. The nurse was an okay lady – prematurely gray and quiet. She had zero biological children and was responsible for approximately eight hundred others that she treated as her own. Dom could tell she genuinely cared for the teenagers, God knows how; he had mopped up enough regurgitated cheap vodka to already be sick of them.

The position had few benefits but the biggest and most important one was that by cooperating Dominic Toretto did not have to go to jail. Secondly, he reported to the school at 8:00 AM and was released at 2:00 in the afternoon so he still had time to work at the shop. At 22 years old Mia could handle running the store until he got there and the boys handled the garage business. As he neared the end of the third week of his service Dom noticed a familiar face walk into the nurse's office. Jaida Grazziati was the youngest child of Joseph Grazziati – a close friend to Dom's late father. After his dad died Joseph stopped coming around but since he lived less than a block from the garage the families would run in to each other every now and again. Last year Joseph and one of his two sons met a cement overpass support wall head on going nearly 100 mph. The irony that he had died in nearly the same manner as Dom's father didn't escape Dom. Maybe the old bastards were sipping beer in the afterlife, wagering on whose car reached top speed first. Dom, Letty, Mia and the boys attended the funeral – the Grazziati boy had grown up with them and their respects needed to be paid to the surviving family; Joseph's 14 year old daughter Jaida and 19 year old son Marco. Since Marco had graduated from high school the year before and was working steadily at another local garage, the state allowed Jaida to remain in the home under his supervision. Dom had occasionally sent Mia to their house with homemade meals and cash but he always found the same amount of money in his mailbox the next day. The Grazziatis were raised like the Torretos and their pride would not allow them to take unearned money.

Dom continued re-filling a metal cabinet with gauze and band-aids while listening to the nurse's conversation with Jaida. The girl apparently had a migraine and requested to spend the class period on a cot in the dark resting room. The nurse handed Jaida two small pills, Dom guessed they were Tylenol or something similarly ineffective for a migraine, and a cup of water and led her past the metal cabinet to the resting room. As Jaida walked past Dom he was reminded by her small size; she couldn't have been taller than 5'3" and lean from running track. Her stature, combined with large green eyes and a sprinkling of freckles across the bridge of her nose made Jaida look even younger than 15. Dom silently nodded to her when she caught his eye, she gave an almost imperceptible nod back and set her backpack on the floor next to the cot. The nurse returned to her desk and Dom finished stocking the cabinet. As he continued with his duties his eyes would wander to the resting room where a small sliver of light allowed him to see Jaida on the cot. She made the cot look big, which took incredible talent since most of the student's feet hung off the end. She was on her side, her knees curled to her chest and her arms folded around her stomach. Jaida's chin length black hair fanned over her face and Dom couldn't see the tears on her cheeks until a small hand reached up and wiped them away. Dom frowned – he worried about Marco and Jaida, they were too young to be on their own but their mother had died when they were small and neither parent had siblings who could step in to raise them after Joseph passed. She was still curled up on the tiny cot when Dom was released at 2:00.

Evenings at the Toretto household didn't have a lot of variety. After locking up the café and garage at 6 pm the family (Leon, Vince, Brian, Jesse and Letty included) headed home to congregate around the giant dining room table for dinner. Mia and Brian usually prepared the meal, unless it was grilling out, and the boys took turns helping Mia with the dishes. After dinner the gang would settle in for drinks and a movie or head to the streets in their impressive vehicles to earn easy cash. They'd stumble to their respective rooms sometime before dawn and do it all again the next day. Even the drama between the "temporaries" that the un-attached boys brought home and Letty became part of the routine. The Grazziati house hold was different.

Jaida couldn't pinpoint when she started resenting her brother. To be honest, she thought the sympathy and resentment might even be equal. She knew he felt the loss just as strongly as she did; no parents, their brother gone. She tried not to blame him, he was still too young to even legally buy beer, and she knew he must feel the weight of the world on his shoulders, but he had changed. Deep down in the dark places where they both felt empty – he had changed. She needed her big brother and these days he was nowhere to be found. The home that their parents had cherished was constantly littered with liquor bottles and strangers. Jaida started locking herself in her room each night, she decided this was a necessary precaution after two wasted party-goers barged into her room while removing their clothing. Despite her noisy protests they had gotten down to just their socks before they realized where they were. Both were too inebriated to be sorry or embarrassed and Jaida was hurt by Marco's lack of outrage when she told him the next day. Bleary-eyed and distant, he had simply turned around and walked away, his food colliding with a small glass pipe that clinked as it rolled across the wood floor.

Jaida hadn't gotten used to the changes in her brother or her home, in fact she avoided going home as often as she could. She'd get to school over an hour early and sit outside the doors with a book and her breakfast, she'd go to the library after school was done and sit there until they closed each night at 8. She hated the weekends, there were even stranger characters in her home then, and for longer periods of time. She'd been offered a variety of drgs a number of times; pills, powders, needles, plants, some items she couldn't identify. Jaida couldn't deny that it was getting more difficult to turn down the offers, her stress and depression had reached an all-time high and the escape beckoned to her. Her grades were starting to slip, she couldn't sleep through the night and she was becoming more and more nervous about the people staying downstairs. Luckily, her afternoon classes were all electives and didn't require her presence as long as she turned in the work, she discovered that afternoon that she could catch a couple of hours of rest in the nurse's office and complete her class work at night when she couldn't sleep.

She had been surprised seeing Dominic Toretto in the nurse's office. She knew he had gotten in trouble and was offered community service instead of time inside, but she had no idea he was working at her school. She never went to the nurse's office until today when the idea struck her that it may be the perfect place to sleep – it was called the resting room after all. She liked Dom's whole family, although thinking about them made her miss her own even more. Jaida could tell they worried about Marco and her, but she always took the money back to the Toretto's, her parents never took handouts and she wouldn't either. Marco didn't know about the money, and then one day he did. It was the first time she didn't give it back to Dom – Marco wouldn't let her. He was angry with her, for which she couldn't understand, he had been raised by the same proud people afterall. He had taken the $200 and stormed out, returning hours later with rattling pockets. Pills. Jaida worried about Marco, she knew pills could be very dangerous, if the wrong ones were mixed, or taken with the wrong thing, he might never wake up. She had learned about the growing problem of prescription addiction in her health class through a cheesey animated movie. While the other students talked or texted she took as many notes as she could, writing through the realization and fear that she had seen many of these medications carelessly strewn throughout the house. She didn't know who to turn to, worried that the state would put her in foster care until she was 18 if they discovered how unfit Marco was as a guardian.

Jaida got home around 9 that night, deliberately taking her time after the library closed. She could tell several people were inside from the raised voices audible from where she stood on the porch. Taking a deep breath, the 15 year old stepped inside and silently closed the front door. She tried ignoring the guy sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall with half lidded eyes. Jaida stepped over his feet and hurried up the stairs to her room, feeling his gaze on her like crawling bugs. Tomorrow she could escape for a few hours, but tomorrow would be Friday and after the library closedshe would be trapped in this hell hole for 2 ½ seemingly un-ending days.

Dom was thankful it was Friday. Races would dominate the weekend and he would have time to catch up on some of the work piling at the garage. He reported to the school on time and had an unremarkable afternoon dusting and mopping the office. Jaida Grazziani came in at the same time she showed up yesterday. After exchanging a few words with the nurse she silently walked by Dom, set her backpack on the floor and curled up on a cot. Dom wondered what was up with her, was she sick? After weeks of working in the nurse's office and never seeing her he had now seen her two days in a row. The nurse announced she was leaving for her half-hour lunch break and left a sign on the door. Before leaving she quietly told Jaida that she was free to stay while she left for lunch. As soon as the office door closed Dom walked into the resting room and sat on the cot opposite from Jaida. She didn't acknowledge his presence. Dom waited a few moments before opening his mouth,

"you okay, kid?"

Dom had to strain to hear her quiet "yes"

"Why aren't you in class?"

"I'm tired. And trying to take a nap."

"Maybe you shouldn't party so hard," Dom responded.

Jaida instantly sat up and glared at him. While Dominic Toretto was surprised by the ferocity of her expression she still looked so young that the glare was almost amusing.

Jaida's tone was clipped, "Maybe you shouldn't make assumptions about why I'm tired, _Dominic._"

Dom had a small grin, "Fair enough. Why are you tired, _Jaida?_"

"None of your business."

Jaida turned over onto her other side, wrapping her arms tightly around herself.

Dom waited a couple of minutes before speaking again, this time without a hint of sarcasm or amusement.

"You sure you're okay?"

He saw rather than heard the sob that racked her frame. He saw her shoulders quake, her hands covering her face. Dom reached out and put a hand on her back.

"Jaida…"

Jaida shook his hand off, stood and slipped her backpack over her arm. She didn't meet his eyes as she tried to move past him. After refusing to leave the doorway to allow her to pass, Jaida finally raised her eyes to his. He understood the pain, at least on some level. Although he was older when his dad died he had seen a similar look on Mia's face for months afterwards. Dom wanted to reassure her, to help, but he didn't know her well enough to feel comfortable hugging her. Instead, Dom took the cell phone from her hand and added his number.

"Call if you need anything. You don't have to talk to me if you don't want to, Mia and Letty are always available too."

He placed the shiny pink phone back in her hand and stepped aside.

Jaida's eyes refilled with tears and she quickly wiped them away. He saw her swallow around them and nod. She whispered a thank you and hurried out of the office. The nurse's office was catty-corner to the main doors and he watched as Jaida walked out into the day.


	2. Chapter 2

Jaida convinced herself she would never call Dominic or any of the Toretto gang. They had known her parents, her brothers, they would be ashamed of how Jaida and Marco ended up. She couldn't disgrace her parent's reputation by alerting the other family to their current situation. Marco and his friends attended the same races that the Torreto's did and Jaida could only pray that he acted slightly more civilized there. Jaida never went to the races, it was too hard to be surrounded by the people and machines that her father had surrounded himself with most of his life. The best part of the races was that it meant she could have a small reprieve from the typical bullshit that filled her home when her brother brought his friends back. Jaida took the opportunity to make a quick dinner and shower before heading up to her room. The crowd usually stumbled in around 1 or 2 AM then drank well into the morning, and after checking the clock on her phone Jaida realized she only had a few minutes before they were due back. She didn't remember the last time she had been so drained, so exhausted, and after slipping on a pair of cotton shorts and her dad's old t-shirt Jaida fell into bed and instantly welcomed sleep.

Dom had kept his eye on Marco Grazziati, and when he raced Brian took watch for him. Dom had explained the history of the families to Brian and voiced his concern about the kids. Brian said he had a contact in the child services office and could have someone sent out to the house to make sure everything was okay. Dominic hesitated, the last thing he wanted to do to the poor girl was have her taken from her only remaining family member and placed in foster care. He would have killed the bastard that had attempted to remove Mia from his care if the situation had been reversed. Brian and Dom both noticed the exchanges taking place among the group of young adults surrounding Marco. People weren't typically concerned about subtlety at the races, no one would call the cops, not even over drugs.

Jaida had been so exhausted that night that she hadn't remembered to lock the door to her bedroom. She also slept so soundly that she didn't hear her door open and reclose after a stranger silently slipped in. She didn't feel the bed dip as he climbed onto the mattress or hear the zipper on his torn jeans come undone. Her first conscious moment escaped her throat in a terrified scream when a body pinned her own to the bed and tightly grabbed her wrists. She didn't know the man, he may have been one of the many to crash downstairs after drinking or smoking himself into oblivion. The occasions were numerous and as she searched his face in the dark she tried to find a recognizable feature. The man simply stared down at her as she nearly hyperventilated beneath him. She couldn't form words, she couldn't even breathe around the terror that lodged itself in her chest like a freight train. The man was big, although most people seemed large compared to her. His hands were big enough to hold both of her wrists in one of his palms, his fingers pressing tightly into the delicate bone. She still couldn't speak, couldn't ask what he wanted, couldn't yell for help. The noise from downstairs was loud enough that she doubted anyone would hear her anyway. In a moment of cold, stark fear, Jaida knew she wasn't going to get out of this, at least not whole. Something would be taken from her and she hoped it wouldn't be her life.

Dominic kicked the crowds out early, he wasn't in the mood tonight. None of the boys, nor Letty or Mia protested. They knew Dom was concerned about the Grazziati kids, especially after seeing the exchanges tonight. Dom didn't have Jaida's number, he had only added his information to her contact list, so he couldn't call and make sure she was really okay. He didn't have Marco's number but shared some mutual friends who could easily provide it to him. He wondered if it was his place to contact them, at the very least it would be incredibly awkward. He rubbed a hand over his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, a tension headache beginning to beat beneath his fingertips. Jesse had told him in the past that he ran into Jaida at the library every now and again, the building would be open tomorrow and Dom made up his mind to drop by to see if he could find her. He felt strange about approaching her at her home, he didn't want to invade the only space she probably felt comfort in these days.

Dom trudged up the stairs from the living room to his bedroom and willed his mind to stop focusing on the sad green eyes that kept him from sleep.

Jaida prayed for death. The body on top of her was suffocating without actually causing enough damage to kill her and she was slightly shocked to find she was praying for her life to end, when only moments before she was hoping to live. The man she couldn't recognize had his mouth on her throat and she could feel the cracked, dry surface of his lips scratch the skin over her pulse point like sandpaper. She swallowed bile when his tongue touched her and she caught a whiff of his breath. It smelled like decay, and she wondered if she would ever be able to lay in her bed again without imagining the odor. She couldn't tell what color his hair was but she could feel that it was greasy as the top of his head brushed her cheek. All thoughts immediately ceased when she heard his voice.

"Little girl, little girl, let me come in, the wolf says…"

His quiet chuckle made every hair stand up on her body and her stomach roll. She fought the urge to close her eyes, knowing that if she did in fact get out of this situation she needed to be able to provide the police with identifying features. Greasy hair and death breath weren't going to cut it. He shifted slightly and when she looked up they locked eyes. She squinted a little, trying to see the color of his irises or make out any scars or jewelry. His mouth twitched while his hand tightened on her wrists. She could hear his teeth grind momentarily. Jaida was stunned by the impossibly fast swing of his hand as it moved from the edge of her shirt to connect with her cheek. The resounding slap sounded like thunder in her head and her teeth locked on the tip of her tongue. She immediately tasted the iron tang of blood.

"I know what you're doing, little girl. Stop."

His other hand left her wrist and Jaida felt a moment of relief.

The next moment her father's t-shirt was covering her face, having been roughly yanked up her torso and pulled over her nose and eyes, effectively blinding her and binding her arms from much movement. Jaida's heart pounded as she kicked her legs with every ounce of energy, bucking her small body like a wild animal in an attempt to get this stranger off her body. Her mouth opened to release a blood-curdling scream, louder than any noise she thought she could make and she felt the man still over her. Then he began laughing.

"you can huff, and you can puff, but only _I_ can blow the house down…"

His palms were on her bare chest, painfully abrasive against tender skin that had never been touched by another person. His mouth was on her throat again and he shifted so he was no longer straddling her legs but had a thigh in between them, pressed against her.

Jaida began sobbing between her screams and his laughs, quickly losing the energy to fight any longer. She barely registered his finger trace down her abdomen and tug at the waist band of the boxer shorts she was wearing.

And just as quickly as it started, Jaida was free. The man kissed her hard on the mouth, a bruising kiss that hurt her already sore jaw. His teeth nipped at her collar bone and she flinched, and then he was gone. Jaida didn't move when she heard her bedroom door close. Or when she started breathing again. Her eyes were still covered with her daddy's shirt and boxers were stretched across her open legs, and still Jaida remained as immobile as a statue.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning Dom decided the boys could run the garage so that he could go by the library. He glanced at his watch, the library would be open by now. Dom passed the Grazziati's house on the way and shook his head in disgust at the trash littering the lawn. A car was parked haphazardly on the lawn, several others were lined in the driveway and against the curb. The sight made him angry…he had a feeling Marco was solely responsible for the party, Dom couldn't imagine Jaida acting like the girls who would attend these parties.

Dom parked his car and walked into the old brick building that smelled of mildew and dust. He hadn't been in here since he and Mia were kids. Nothing had changed, there was still an elderly woman with sharp glare sitting at the large desk that dominated the entry way. There were several mismatching shelves that lined the walls, tables with broken chairs and rows upon rows of yellow-paged, dirty, warn, books. Dom couldn't imagine being here on a regular basis, it was depressing. He quietly walked around, peaked around the taller shelves, feeling defeated when he didn't see the girl that plagued his dreams with worry. As he returned to the front of the building he remembered the oversized lumpy chairs that were positioned in the back of the library and turned around once more.

She was there. Curled up in a chair that was easily twice her age and couldn't be comfortable. Dom let out a quiet sigh of relief and approached Jaida Grazziati. Her scuffed converse allstar shoes were perched on the arm of the chair, knees touching the back of the chair that her head also rested on. Her arms were clutched to her chest, her hair covering her face. She appeared much as she did on the cot in the nurse's office.

Dom reached out and gently shook her knee.

A scream was out of Jaida's mouth before her eyes were open. She was as startled to see Dominic Toretto standing in front of her as he obviously was hearing her reaction. He instantly stepped back and dropped his arms to his sides, palms open in a "I'm not armed" manner.

Jaida's face was instantly red and she was even more mortified when the librarian quickly waddled toward her. Before the librarian could find out what the ruckus was all about Dom looked at her and apologized, explaining that he didn't mean to startle Jaida. The librarian peered around Dom's towering frame to search Jaida's face for confirmation. Jaida nodded and cleared her throat.

"I'm sorry ma'am, I must have dozed off and he surprised me. I'm fine, we're fine, I'm sorry." The librarian clucked her tongue once, turned, and waddled back to her giant desk.

Dom's eyebrow raised as he turned back to Jaida.

"Sorry…had I known I was waking a banshee I might have found a better method of doing so."

His voice was deep and without humor but Jaida could see in his eyes that he was joking. And uncomfortable as hell.

"It's fine Dominic, sorry I yelled."

It was hard for Dom to hear her voice, her tone was scratchy and strained.

"You okay, kid?"

"You've gotta quit asking me that." Jaida replied.

"Well, are you?"

Dom noticed her physically straighten up, pushing her hair behind her ears in what he guessed was a nervous tick.

"ye..yeah. I'm fine. I'll see you on Monday at school."

Dom frowned slightly.

"Are you still sick?"

Jaida moved slightly as Dom sat down in the oversized chair next to her.

He could tell she was nervous.

There was obviously something very wrong with this girl.

Jaida didn't say anything. Dom scooted to the edge of the chair.

"Helluva party last night."

Jaida looked up and met his gaze. Dom continued,

"I saw the trash outside today. Looks like there's still a ton of people there."

The blood rushed from Jaida's face and she closed her eyes.

"Jaida? Honey?"

She felt, more than heard, Dom kneel in front of her, putting his hands on either side of her face. The gesture was awkward, something her father used to do and way too intimate coming from a person she barely knew anymore.

She heard Dom's sharp intake of breath and felt his fingertips on her cheek.

"What the fuck happened to your face?"

Jaida's eyes snapped open at the hard edge in Dom's voice.

She couldn't speak, couldn't think, she just wanted to crawl in a hole and go away from the terrible world that took her parents and brother, the terrible world that allowed this to happen to her.

Dom gently tipped her head up into the light, getting a better look at the bruise and swelling along her jaw line. He took note of her swollen bottom lip, the purple smudges under her eyes and the bruises on her neck. No…not bruises there…hickies. Hickies? What the fuck? This girl was all of 15! Why the hell did she have hickies?

"Jaida…."

Jaida stood up quickly, knocking Dom off balance. He landed on his butt on the dirty carpet of the library. Tears were pouring down Jaida's face and her hands were balled into fists at her sides. Dom swallowed, his throat suddenly thick. He quickly stood and searched the tired, agonized eyes of the girl in front of him. He wrapped his arms around her without thinking about it any further, completely enveloping her small stature. Her arms remained at her sides for a moment before reaching up Dominic's back, tightening around his shirt as she silently sobbed.

Jaida sat silently in the passenger seat of Dom's car as they pulled onto the street, leaving the library behind them. She could feel his gaze on her every few seconds as they drove. She didn't know where they were going, she didn't ask, she had simply allowed herself to be led from the old building that had provided sanctuary for the last few months and climbed into his car. It was a nice car, she would have spent more time admiring it had she possessed any more energy. Right now it was all she could do to keep conscious. The cold window felt good against her cheek and she watched as the trees and houses blurred by.

Dom was unnerved by the recent series of events. There was something going on with those kids and he didn't like it. He was aware of the anger he felt and how illogical it was for him to be angry. He had felt that anger when he lost his parents and he was feeling it on behalf of the Grazziati kids now. Dom glanced at Jaida and wondered if she was asleep again. He also wondered how her face had gotten bruised. He wondered about the hickies, and her visits to the nurse's office to sleep, Dom couldn't do much except wonder. He thought about talking to Marco…Dom would want to know about anything going on with Mia. Although, Dom wouldn't have been involved with drugs, especially at Marco's age and definitely not if Mia was in the house. He was conflicted about Marco, he was young but he needed to be a guardian to his little sister and Dom doubted there was any guarding being done.

Jaida realized she must have dozed off because she came to as Dom put the car into park. She looked around, briefly disoriented from sleep, and rubbed her eyes. She winced when her hand touched the bruise on her cheek. She turned to Dominic and caught him frowning at her. She turned away, not wanting to see the concern on his face. He couldn't help her.

She noticed they were in the parking lot of a small café a few minutes away from her house. Her dad used to bring her brothers and her there for their birthdays. She hadn't been inside in a year. Jaida swallowed back tears and stepped from the car into the hot sun, following Dominic into the café. They sat at a table inside the large front window and waited for the waitress to approach. Jaida glanced at the menu, thinking of the delicious vanilla shakes she used to share with her family. Her stomach rolled. The waitress asked for their order and after Dom ordered a turkey sandwich with fries he looked at her expectantly. She shook her head and looked up at the waitress,

"I'm fine, thank you."

The waitress started walking away but Dom spoke, advising the waitress that Jaida would have the same thing he was having. The waitress looked between Dom and Jaida, wrote the order on her pad and walked to the kitchen. Dominic locked eyes with Jaida and absentmindedly stirred his coke.

Neither one of them spoke until the food was served. Jaida looked down at the plate in front of her and bit her lip. The thought of food made her nauseas. She was afraid she wouldn't be able to swallow down even a small bite, her throat felt like it was lined with cotton from screaming last night. That train of thought led to a barrage of images that popped up one right after the other. The man's hands on her, his mouth on her, the sound of his voice as he recited the twisted version of the child's rhyme her dad used to read to her. Jaida stood so quickly that her chair fell over with a loud crash. She ran to the bathroom and barely made it to her knees in front of the toilet bowl before her stomach emptied what little it contained. Because she hadn't eaten in almost 24 hours she was wracked with dry heaves after everything else had come up. Jaida sat back and rested on her heels for a moment before flushing the toilet and opening the stall. Once again she was face to face with Dominic. He said nothing as she went to the sink and rinsed her mouth. She caught his reflection in the mirror. God she was already sick of that look.

His voice was quiet when he spoke,

"You can talk to me."

Jaida spun on her heel so she was face to face with the giant man from her childhood.

"Dominic, I don't even _know_ you anymore. Don't you understand that? I barely knew you when I was younger and I haven't seen you for how long? I don't have _anyone_ to talk to. Not you! Not Marco! My mom is dead! My dad is dead! My brother is dead! My other brother might as well be."

Halfway through her outburst Jaida's eyes began filling with tears. She was so sick of crying. Even worse, she hated how pathetic she sounded.

Dominic tried to think of something to say. The small girl that stood in front of him made his chest ache. She was physically and emotionally hurt and for all intents and purposes thought she was completely alone in the world. He wanted to hug her. He wanted to take her home so she could remember what a house filled with love and family felt like. In a gesture that was becoming increasingly familiar, Dom rubbed his hand over his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

There were several minutes of silence between Dominic and Jaida, when he opened his eyes she had her arms crossed around herself in a hug, eyes swollen and red, jaw swollen and blue. Her skin was paler than usual, making the red and blue parts stand out garishly. His eyes flicked down to her neck and collar bone to look at the hickies again. She must have noticed because adjusted the neckline of her shirt until they were covered.

"Jaida, let me help you. _Please_."

Jaida straightened her back and let out a quiet, deep, sigh that seemed to contain the weight of the world in a single breath.

"You can't."


	4. Chapter 4

It had been several weeks since Jaida had last spoken with Dom. She returned to school the Monday after the incident and avoided going to the nurse's office to sleep during her electives. Sometimes she noticed Dom out of the corner of her eye as she walked into different classes and she felt guilty that he worried about her. Mia continued to drop meals and money off at the house, Marco continued to eat and spend it. Jaida was exhausted, truly exhausted, and understood what people meant when they said "bone-deep tired". She didn't know how she made it through each day, most of them blurred together. Her grades managed to stay in the 'A' range but she knew she looked like hell.

Her sixteenth birthday passed and she managed to smile when Marco brought home a shake from the small café down the street. They had sat in the living room and watched a movie, sharing the shake out of the Styrofoam to-go cup. That night gave her hope, and she realized how much she had missed that side of her brother, how much she needed the comfort.

The parties continued, and Jaida always made sure she was in her room hours before anyone came home. She wedged her computer chair under her door handle and barricaded herself in until morning. Still, she didn't sleep those nights. Unless her house was empty, besides Marco, she didn't sleep. She was too tired to eat much during the day and she could notice the change in her body. Her cheeks lost the pretty roundness that made her look young and her eyes seemed to sink into her skull. She was pale except for the shadows under her eyes, even the color of her irises seemed less bright. She trudged from school to the library to home, her jeans riding low on the hip bones that protruded from her skin. She didn't care that she wasn't pretty anymore. She didn't want anyone to notice her.

Marco continued to race, Jaida focused on her grades, and when spring turned to summer Jaida finished her sophomore year with enough credits to graduate the following summer. She'd be done with high school just after her seventeenth birthday. It was hard to grasp and she didn't know what it meant to her. Would she leave? As a younger child she had wanted to go to college but she didn't know if she had the energy for that anymore. Maybe she could race for money, or work a legitimate job. Dominic finished his community service with the school district on her last day of class and she was relieved that she wouldn't see him anymore.

Dominic continued to keep his eye on the Grazziati kids, especially Marco. They talked every now and again at the races and he had even come to the Toretto house a couple of times to party. Each time Dom wanted to ask about Jaida but the words never left his mouth. On his last day of community service he was tempted to speak with her; he had noticed how weary she was, how thin. She was wasting away into nothing and he didn't know what to do. Brian had tried talking to her once, letting her know that if anything was going on she could talk to him about being removed from her house. Jaida had simply shut the door in his face and didn't answer the calls or texts. Brian didn't ask again. Summer break meant high school and college students attended the races, which in turn meant the Toretto gang made a lot more money. Dom sent over at least $200 every weekend to the Grazziati household, hoping it would make their lives a little easier. They needed easy.

It was the last weekend of summer break and Jaida was looking forward to starting her last year of school. She planned to keep her head down, stay invisible, and get done as quickly and painlessly as possible. She didn't know why she suddenly got the urge, but Jaida decided to attend the races that night.

Something had shifted inside her. A seed of apathy had taken root and she realized she didn't want to fight any more. She didn't want to feel the pain that stuck in her bones like arthritis, reminding her of her losses and failures with each step or movement. She wanted to get lost like the herds of people that passed out on her living room floor.

Jaida dug through a makeup bag that hadn't been touched in months and applied thick charcoal-black eyeliner around her eyes. Mascara and grey eyeshadow made the green stand out and the skin of her face appear even more colorless. She realized with sardonic humor that she looked like a ghost. Good, she thought, she felt like one. She applied a deep red gloss to her lips and ran gel through her hair. She hadn't gotten it cut or styled for so long that it hung almost to the middle of her back in a straight black curtain. She turned her head upside down and wrestled her hands through the locks, making it messy and full with help of the gel. She didn't have racing clothes since she never went to the races, so she settled on a deep purple wife-beater that clung to her torso and a denim mini skirt that slid down her hips. She threaded a black belt through the loops and tightened it to the first hole, pulling it as taut as possible to keep the material from sliding down her legs. A small rectangle of white skin appeared between her skirt and top, and she self consciously touched the rectangle. She looked like a race skank. She was glad Marco had already left for the streets, although she wasn't positive that he would have cared how she dressed. She slipped on tall black pumps, lined her arms with rubber bracelets and bangles and carefully maneuvered down her stairs to the kitchen. She picked one of the many glass bottles off the counter and swallowed the burning liquid until her throat protested and she was afraid of gagging. It burned all the way to her belly and pooled there, warming her from the inside out. After a moment she took a second drink, and then a third, pausing to make sure she wouldn't throw up before starting again. She set the bottle back down and walked out the front door into the night.

Dom didn't know when he became aware of her presence but the hairs on the back of his neck stood up when he heard her voice. His head snapped up and zeroed on her location. Jaida Grazziati leaned back on the hood of a shiny new eclipse, the ends of her hair sliding over the paint. Her legs looked a mile long stretched out in front her, ankles crossed, and as she rested on her elbows her shirt slid up to show off her tiny waist. She looked older than she should and her boisterous laugh clearly illustrated how tipsy she was. Good god she wasn't yet seventeen and she was surrounded by men closer to Dom's age of 25. Anger heated his blood as he strolled toward her, his movements swift.


	5. Chapter 5

Dominic didn't really think of what Jaida's reaction to him until he stopped in front of her. They hadn't spoken in about 3 months and she had avoided him in the school. He wondered if she would ignore him, or maybe hit him, after he did what he was about to do.

One of the men, much too old to be looking at Jaida Grazziati the way he was, gave Dom a half grin and a nod of the head when he approached. Dom clapped him on the back and pulled him close enough to whisper in his ear,

"Jailbait, bro. Sixteen."

The guy's eyes got large and round, he swallowed a couple of times, shrugged apologetically at Jaida and took off into the crowd. Jaida didn't seem to mind much, another street rat was leaning close to her, brushing his lips against her ear. His hand rested on her thigh, just below the hem of her denim skirt. The man must have whispered something in her ear because Jaida threw her head back in a laugh . Dominic could smell the alcohol from her breath and glared at the punk whose hand crept further up her leg. All Dom had to do was clear his throat and catch the eye of the man, deliver a Toretto "look" and the guy scampered off. Dom braced himself for a glare, a physical blow, or even angry silence when he looked back to Jaida. Dominic quickly became disconcerted.

Jaida slowly raised herself off the Eclipse, moving with sleek confidence that reminded Dom of a cat. A smile spread across her face and he was struck by how pretty she was, even while looking run down, too thin, and too tired. With dark red lips and bright green eyes contrasting with her hair and skin tones she looked like a less innocent version of Snow White.

She was amused. Jaida tipped her head to the side, placing her hands on her hips as she did a once-over on Dom. She wondered why she never noticed how incredibly good looking he was before. Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was her hormones which had seemed to be flooding her system for weeks, but Jaida noticed all the details of Dominic Toretto that she had never seen before. She walked in a small circle around him, close enough to smell a hint of aftershave and the laundry detergent his clothes smelled of. She could see the thick muscles of his shoulders and back tense when she moved behind him. He flinched when her hand touched his head and she was surprised to find it felt as smooth as it looked, no stubble at all. She took another step, her heel clicking on the asphalt as she stopped directly in front of him. Even in heels she was still a head shorter. He looked down at her. He was uncomfortable. That made Jaida smile.

She leaned forward, her chest brushing against his and slipped her hand under his grey tank top to feel the taunt skin of his abdomen. He instantly stepped back, his hand shooting out to grasp her wrist.

"Jaida, stop."

Jaida thought about how much fun she could have with him. She had never been with a man, had never been attracted to one beyond casual appreciation. To date the only experience she had was from the man who invaded her room months ago. The thought brought her back to reality. But only for a moment. She shook off the images and batted her eye lashes, not pulling her wrist out of Dom's grasp.

"Stop what?" She asked innocently.

Dom sighed and dropped Jaida's arm, taking another step back. What the fuck was going on? She was a child. Dom's unease shot up exponentially when Jaida looked up at him through dark eyelashes, her smile fading until her lips were slightly parted. He saw the tip of her tongue wet them and heard the sound of a shuddering breath escape. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. What should he do? He couldn't let her kiss him. Or touch him. Or look at him like that. There was something way wrong with the situation.

"Let me take you home sweetheart." Dom said quietly, pulling her back toward his car.

He swore he heard her purr and she wrapped her hand around his bicep, laying her cheek on his shoulder as they walked. Fuck.

"Funny, I was hoping I'd go home with you tonight."

Dominic rolled his eyes and unpeeled her tiny hand from his arm as he opened the passenger door. She gave him a dazzling smile and stepped in, swinging her legs in before he closed it after her and got in the driver's side. He glanced at his passenger only long enough to register the scrap of denim that couldn't be called a skirt had slid up her thighs when she had gotten in the car. If it had gone any higher it would be around her waist. He saw the edge of black elastic poking beneath the denim at her hip, heard her take another deep breath and watched as her hand slid under her purple beater to rest just under her chest. He was angry. And scared. And confused as hell. He didn't bother to say anything else to her, she was very clearly intoxicated and didn't know what she was doing. He hoped the trip back to her house would be quick.

Jaida was angry to find the alcohol was wearing off. She wasn't ready to return to reality. It hurt too much. Dom pulled into her driveway and turned the car off, turning toward her in his seat.

"Do you need help getting inside?"

Jaida closed her eyes and laid back on the head rest.

"I don't want to go in."

Dom sighed,

"Jaida, you are drunk. Very drunk by the looks and sounds of it. You need to go to sleep. I'll walk you in."

She wanted to cry, to shout, to hit him. She didn't want to go into that house. She didn't want to feel everything she had felt for the last couple of months; dirty. Sad. Scared. Angry. Resigned. She had gone through the motions without coming out on the other side, able to laugh at it all. She wanted to be taken care of, to feel protected and cherished and loved. Dominic could make her feel like that, she knew he could. When he opened her door she captured and held his gaze.

"Please Dom. I don't want to go inside."

"Well, where would you like to go?"

"With you."

He was getting angry. He pulled her out of the car, his hands on her arms, wanting to shake her.

"You have to stop this, you're drunk, you're a child, you're confused about what you want. Do you know how you made those men feel? How you looked? Do you have any idea what they wanted from you?"

Jaida shoved Dom hard, anger coursing through her veins.

"Of course I know what they want!"

"Not cupcakes and rainbows, sweetheart"

His sarcasm made her even angrier.

"Do you think I'm naïve? That I've got my head in the clouds as I blissfully wander from day to day? That after I've buried my parents and my brother, after I've seen the drugs and the fucking and the fighting invade my parent's house every weekend that they've been gone that I don't _know _what men want?"

Dom opened and closed his mouth, stunned by her outburst.

Jaida paused, and when Dom didn't say anything she continued.

"I want it on my terms. I want to choose who touches me, and how, and when. And I want you, Dominic. You're the only person who cares about me."

Jaida closed her eyes, willing herself not to cry, but the alcohol made her even more emotional than normal so she quickly brushed the tears off her cheeks.

She was surprised when he hugged her tightly to his chest, one hand around her back, the other on the back of her head, holding her head to his shoulder as his lips pressed against the top of her hair.

"You're beautiful Jaida Grazziati. You're beautiful, and special, and…sad and hold way to much weight on your shoulders. I know you don't understand everything that's happening right now. I remember going through that spinning tunnel where you can't tell which way is up or down or out. And I promise that I will be here for you, that I can take care of you...And Marco if he wishes…but I can't be with you…like that."

Jaida cried harder, feeling mortified and broken.

"I'm 9 years older than you sweetheart. You've got so much ahead of you, you've got school starting next week…"

"Please Dom. _Please_."

"…and I've got Letty."


	6. Chapter 6

Jaida stepped back, took a deep breath and gave Dom a small, sad smile.

"Yeah. Letty. Of course."

She leaned down, slipped off her heels and began walking inside, her bare feet silent and stead y on the pavement.

"Jaida…"

Without turning around Jaida murmured,

"It's okay Dom. Forget it."

She stepped inside, watched as Dom pulled out of her driveway and sank to the floor, her back pressed against the cold wood of the front door. She wrapped her arms around her knees and dropped her shoes with a quiet _thunk. _Her plan didn't work. She didn't feel lost in the booze or the clothes or the guys. She felt just as sad and broken as she had before she covered her face with makeup. She put her face in her arms and closed her eyes.

Jaida was startled awake by the door being pushed open, sliding her across the entry way floor. Marco stepped in and looked down at her, confusion and amusement across his face.

"Well hello there."

Jaida glared and rubbed her head where a headache was starting to pound. Her stomach was flip flopping with the liquor that had filled it earlier in the evening. She hadn't eaten anything and her stomach seemed to transition from a warm soothing burn to an acidic one.

"I saw you at the races. Did you have fun?"

Marco asked as he stepped aside for the typical herd of losers to walk in.

"A blast."

Jaida replied dryly.

"Wanna hang out with us?"

Jaida looked over the 20-30 people who had shuffled in and already were taking their spots in the kitchen and living room, opening bottles and containers of various contents.

She could think of plenty of reasons why she shouldn't hang out with these people. But Jaida was still reeling from the rejection she felt from Dom having zero interest in her. She needed him to want her and that was never going to happen.

"Sure."

Marco reached down and grabbed her hand, pulling her to her feet. His eyes were already blurry and unfocused and he gave her a grin and a nudge before walking into the kitchen. A pretty redhead wrapped her arms around his waist and Jaida watched with disgust when she stood up on her toes to grab his lower lip between her teeth.

"You look like you could use a drink."

Jaida turned to look at the source of the low, deep voice. The guy appeared to be Marco's age, tall and built like an athlete. His jeans were torn and hung low on his hips, a black wife beater clinging to his torso. He wore a simple silver chain around his neck and a stocking cap pulled over dark unruly curls that hung around his ears. His eyes were ice blue and he had perfect teeth. He was beautiful.

She still hadn't responded to his offer when he spoke again

"You're Marc's sister aren't you?"

She nodded and held out her hand,

"Jaida."

He smirked and took her hand, shaking it firmly. Her dad would have appreciated his handshake.

"Ty."

She liked the sound of his name.

"Nice to meet you Ty. And Yes, I could use a drink."

Ty flashed a bright smile and gave a dramatic bow, extending his arm to motion to the kitchen.

"After you mi'lady."

Jaida couldn't help but giggle. What a weirdo. An adorable weirdo. A beautiful, adorable, funny weirdo.

She felt his hand on the small of her back as they meandered through the group of strangers crowded in her kitchen. Ty said hello to many of them, obviously familiar with the crowd. They stopped at the fridge and he reached around her to open it. The gesture was funny to her, it was afterall HER refrigerator.

His hand remained on the door as he looked over her shoulder,

"Well, looks like we have beer, beer, and oh look…beer. Or if you would prefer, there's a variety of various adult beverages on the counter…and the table….and the floor…and the back porch…"

Jaida tipped her head back to grin at him,

"Well, thank you for being such a gracious host…in my house."

When he smiled down at her Jaida noticed how close they were. How long and dark his eyelashes were. That his breath smelled like mint and not liquor. She wanted him. She didn't realize she had been holding her breath until he pressed his mouth close to her ear,

"Breathe."

His voice gave her goose bumps and sent color across her cheeks. It sounded good, felt good. His breath tickled her ear and she blindly reached into the fridge, pulling out two bottles of corona.

There was a _clink_ as he knocked his bottle against hers in a cheers fashion. That made her smile. Jaida didn't remember the last time someone had made her smile so much.

She followed Ty onto the back porch where only two other people were sitting. Well..not so much sitting as graphically making out. Jaida turned away, embarrassed to have invaded such an intimate moment. The couple didn't even register that they had been joined. When she looked up at Ty he was smiling. She smiled back, her stomach fluttering.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Ty's eyes sparkled with humor and he shrugged,

"I don't know."

Jaida took a swig of the beer and winced, swallowing it quickly.

"Not a beer drinker huh?"

"Not much of a drinker at all."

"You were tonight."

Jaida tipped her head,

"You saw me at the races?"

"Couldn't take my eyes off you."

Jaida knew it was only because of the make up and the ridiculous outfit that still clung to her body.

Ty must have understood her train of thought because he quickly spoke,

"Not because of how you look tonight. I have seen you a couple of times around town, used to see you at the house when we all came over. It's been a while though. You look different."

Jaida's blush got deeper.

Her eyes locked on his as his hand reached up, his fingertips brushing across her cheek.

"That's a good color on you. When you blush, I mean. You don't look so sad."

Jaida didn't know what to say, and didn't understand why his comment brought tears to her eyes. His eyebrows came together in a frown and he dropped his hand quickly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you or anything…I just…I don't know. I'm sorry Jaida."

She swallowed and shook her head, smiling shyly.

"No, it's nothing you did. I'm just happy. And possibly still a little tipsy. Ignore me."

He relaxed and tipped his lips up in a half smile.

"I could never ignore you."

He finally broke his gaze and tipped his beer back.

They sat in silence for a long time, sitting on the picnic table thigh to thigh. They stole glances at eachother and smiled when they caught the other doing it. She finished her beer and twisted around to set it on the table.

"I'm glad I decided to hang out tonight." She said quietly.

Ty smiled, a huge smile that made his eyes crinkle and an adorable dimple appear in his cheek.

"Me too."

Jaida didn't want it to end. She had never done this before, didn't really have any guy friends, and hadn't felt this way toward a guy. Except Dom.

"Want to go inside?" Jaida asked, rising to her feet. Ty twisted his torso around to look inside the sliding door to the kitchen.

"I don't know, it's pretty crowded in there."

Jaida looked down at her shoes,

"Not in my room."

Ty's facial expression was pained when he turned toward Jaida.

"You don't know how much I want that. REALLY want that but…"

Jaida closed her eyes, wanting to crawl in a hole and die. How many rejections could a girl get in a night? Was she that hideous? Would no one want her? She NEEDED to be in control of that moment, to replace one of the most horrific memories she possessed.

"It's fine." She mumbled, even more embarrassed that she had been with Dom.

Without waiting for an explanation Jaida stood and quickly walked inside looking for a bottle of something stronger than the corona. She could hear Ty behind her, saying something, explaining himself. Frankly, she didn't want to hear the explanation. She tipped the bottle back and took a long draw of the amber liquid inside. It was even more disgusting than the stuff she had drank earlier in the evening and she wanted to immediately throw up. She plugged her nose and took another swig, and another. Eventually she was aware of the people surrounding her yelling Chug! Chug! Chug! She wanted to roll her eyes but instead focused on relaxing her throat from the gagging sensation that lingered.

Suddenly the bottle was pulled from her mouth and the liquor sprayed from her lips. She coughed and sputtered and looked up angrily. Ty was standing next to Marco who dangled the bottle from his fingertips. He eyed the contents then looked back to Jaida. She swayed on her feet, once again feeling warm and full. It beat the emptiness that had resettled in her stomach minutes before. Ty looked embarrassed, maybe even worried. Jaida waited for Marco to say something. She didn't have to wait long.

"If you have to throw up try to avoid the floor."

With that bit of advice Marco walked away, continuing to sip on the bottle that had just been in her grasp. Ty looked angry. He followed Marco and Jaida could hear the first few words of his angry tone,

"Dude! I came to you because I wanted you to talk to her…make sure she was okay…"

Jaida braced her hands on the kitchen counter as the edges of her vision became soft and fuzzy. She didn't care anymore. Forget Ty. Forget Dom. Forget Marco. She was done with them all. Jaida ignored the hands that clapped her on the back as she walked through the crowded kitchen. She had to stop and place her hands on the walls of the hallway to keep from falling over. Lord, was she dizzy. She felt two hands on her hips, helping her stand.

"Come on, let's get you upstairs."

Her head was much too heavy to turn and look but she leaned back against the solid chest of the person who was helping her stay upright. He sighed and easily shifted her until she was in his arms. She wished her eyes weren't so heavy, she wanted to look at Ty's beautiful face. Within seconds it felt like she was upstairs, the noise from downstairs just a constant drone. It made her even more tired. She snuggled her face into Ty's neck, enjoying the closeness of another person. Why couldn't he want her?


	7. Chapter 7

Jaida let out an oof and a giggle when she was deposited on her bed. Her pillow felt amazing under her head and she stretched until she heard her joints pop.

She was experiencing the strangest feeling of floating, the room seemed to be pitching side to side like a sail boat. It was soothing and disconcerting at the same time, she wanted to hold on to the edges to keep from falling overboard.

"Sit up, I have water."

The voice commanding her was far away and she smiled as she imagined herself walking across the deck of a sail boat hundreds of feet long, getting closer to the deep voice.

"Jaida!"

She groaned as she was shaken awake, pulled away from the waves and the boat.

"humpf!"

She pouted, trying to turn on her stomach to bury her face in the pillow. She was easily turned onto her back and the strong arm pulled her to a sitting position. She felt the bed dip under his weight as Ty sat behind her, propping her up as he pushed a bottle of water to her lips. She opened them and felt his hand on the back of her head as he tipped the bottle, a slow trickle hitting her tongue. It was cold an delicious.

He took the bottle from her mouth and set it on her bedside table. She leaned back into his chest once again and curled up in his lap. She could smell his cologne on his shirt and she inhaled deeply, her hand resting on his chest. She looked up at him, his face blurry.

"I can hear your heart beat." She said, pressing her ear against his chest. She closed her eyes and smiled,

"thump thump, thump thump…thump thump."

She heard his sigh and felt his arms tighten around her, his finger tips brushing against the bare skin exposed on her side and thigh.

"What am I going to do with you Jaida Grazziati?"

He sounded exasperated which made her giggle. With newfound energy she stood quickly from his lap, steadying herself on her bedside table. It took a moment for the room to catch up and Ty's hand shot out to her waist.

"Do you know I was at your house for thanksgiving one year?"

Ty's question startled Jaida.

"It's true. I was good friends with your other brother. My parents were shitty and your dad let me eat with you guys. You must have been about 10 or 11."

Jaida tried hard to remember and could vaguely recall the image of a skinny teenager with the same black curls covering his eyes. The image swam away.

"I miss him." Jaida whispered, looking into Ty's clear blue eyes. She wanted to swim in them. She liked how he looked at her. He seemed genuine. Sweet. Gentle.

"yeah, me too." Ty reached for Jaida's hand, intertwining their fingers. He smiled and she matched it.

"Can I ask you a favor Ty?"

He tipped his head and nodded, keeping her fingers in his palm.

"Will you sleep with me?" Ty closed his eyes and dropped his head, his face disappearing from view.

"please. I just..something happened. I feel it still in my skin, in my veins, it's ugly and heavy and makes my skin crawl and I cant escape it. I need to do this, with someone I can choose, please."

As soon as she started speaking Ty's head shot up, his gaze intense on her face.

"Did someone rape you Jaida?"

She shook her head and looked down at their hands.

"No, he came in while I was sleeping. Touched me with his hands and mouth. I screamed. No one came."

She felt Ty's fingers tighten around hers.

"Who was it?"

She shrugged and bit her lip.

"No idea, someone from downstairs."

Ty quickly stood and pulled Jaida into his arms, wrapping his arms tightly around her. She sighed, finally feeling warm and safe.

"I'm sorry, J. I don't think sleeping with me is going to make you feel better though…"

She squeezed him tighter.

"it will. Please. I don't want someone to take that from me before I can give it away."

She was irritated that her speech was still slurred but thankful that she had the courage to tell someone what had happened.

They stood holding eachother for several minutes before Ty stepped back and sat on the edge of her bed, pulling off his skull cap. He looked conflicted for a few minutes before swiping his tongue across his lips and nodding. She noticed he was wringing his hands and thought his nervousness was adorable. Just like everything else about him.

"Okay."

Jaida wanted to jump up and down before suddenly becoming overwhelmed with nerves. What if she looked funny? Or was bad? Could a virgin be bad? She thought so….they didn't know anything…He was so beautiful he must have been with tons of girls. She looked down at her outfit and felt ridiculous.

"C'mere", He beckoned, "You're beautiful."

She stepped toward him until she was standing between his legs at the edge of her bed. He smiled reassuringly and rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand, pulling it to his mouth. She closed her eyes when he kissed her hand, his lips soft against her skin.

"You sure about this?" He asked quietly, his voice breaking.

"Absolutely." Jaida replied without hesitation.

Ty gently nudged Jaida back a couple of steps and stood, pulling his wife beater over his head. He let her look and took a deep breath when her hands touched his skin directly. She looked up at him from beneath her eyelashes, her vision finally becoming clear enough for her to see his face without it blurring out of focus. His skin was warm, soft and taut all at the same time. She thought that since he had such dark hair on his head he would have had a hairy chest but he was almost completely bare except for a thin line of soft hairs that started below his belly button and disappeared beneath his traced the line with her finger tip and watched as his muscles jumped beneath his skin. It made her giggle. He smiled and shook his head.

"Cant say I've had a girl laugh at me while in this situation."

She smiled and shrugged and tugged on his belt. Her hands shook too bad to open it and he put his hands on her shoulders, kissing the top of her head.

"Its okay, J. We can stop any time. I promise. Just say the word."

"Hell no."

Her blunt answer made him laugh and the sound warmed her belly.

He reached down, moved her hands out of the way and deftly unfastened his belt and jeans. He kept his gaze on her face while he pushed them down his hips and let them pool at his feet. He stepped out, pushed them aside with his foot and quickly removed his socks and shoes. Jaida watched his graceful movements, amazed that this guy would actually be sharing this moment with her. He stopped when he was left only in his boxers and once again wrapped his arms around Jaida, hugging her tightly. They stood there for many minutes before Jaida stepped back and pulled her purple tank top over her head, letting it drop on the floor.

Ty's eyes wandered to her chest and back up to her face, not reaching out to touch her. She unzipped her denim skirt and let it fall, kicking it to land by his pants and shoes. She stood before him in a modest lavender bra and panty set, a tiny bow in the center of her bra where it clasped in front. She heard Ty take a deep breath and felt a feminine pride in the reaction she clearly caused.

"You still sure about this?" Ty asked, his hands going to her waist.

Jaida smiled and briefly kissed him on the mouth,

"Shut up Ty."


	8. Chapter 8

It wasn't at all like Jaida had imagined it would be. There wasn't pain or awkwardness. Ty had quietly asked her several times if she was okay before he would continue. He had kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose. Her cheeks and ears and throat and shoulders. Anywhere within reach of his mouth. She had reached up to push the curls out of his eyes and playfully tugged on them. It made his eyes sparkle and he scraped his teeth across her neck, right below her ear. It made goose bumps pop up and her hips rise to meet him.

When they were done he had cleaned himself up in the bathroom, brought back a warm washcloth and wiped her off too. He lay down in her bed, pulled her against his chest and kept his arm around her in a hug. She looked up at him, her eyes glassy with unshed tears.

"Thank you Ty."

He pulled her closer and she realized she never wanted to lose this memory. Beautiful Ty, The boy who had shared Thanksgiving with her family half a decade ago, who had noticed when she was around, and more importantly, when she wasn't. His body was so warm and she fit perfectly against his side, a leg thrown across his, her ear on his chest while she again listened to his heartbeat.

"Go to sleep, beautiful."

Her eyes closed and she was asleep in seconds.

She was dying.

Jaida was absolutely, posivitively, 100% sure that she was only minutes from death. Her head had clearly been hacked down the middle by an axe-wielding murderer and she swallowed bile that rose up her throat. She groaned and pushed herself out of bed to land on the floor. She was face to face with Ty's shoe. She squinted at it and poked at it cautiously then looked back to the bed. _ .ohmigod._ It was real. It actually happened. _God, he's gorgeous._ Ty was still fast asleep, an arm thrown across his eyes, her comforter twisted around his feet. Her reverie was interrupted by another roll of her stomach and she quickly pulled on his wifebeater and ran to the bathroom, emptying her stomach.

"Aghhhhhhhhhh."

Groaning, she sat back on the floor, the tile cold against her bare skin. She heaved for what seemed like hours before her stomach was finally settled. Her head pounded harder. She grabbed the edge of the bathroom vanity, pulling herself to her feet. Jaida splashed her skin with cold water and caught her reflection. She winced. The eye makeup that she had meticulously applied the night before was smudged across the top of her cheeks, black trails down her face from the tears that spilled while throwing up minutes before. She quickly scrubbed her face, threw her hair back in a pony tail and tiptoed back to her room.

She was startled to see Ty had awoken… and was looking around, disoriented. She shut the door behind herself and stood shyly against it.

His eyes ran from her pony tail down over his oversized shirt that covered almost nothing. She blushed. She saw him gulp and he suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"How do you feel?" He asked quietly.

"I want to cut my head off."

He grinned briefly and shook his head.

"You drank too much."

"yeah."

"Do you remember everything?"

"yes."

"I shouldn't have…you were drunk…"

Jaida's eyes widened and she practically ran to the bed, jumping on top of it, looking directly into Ty's face.

"I don't regret it. Not last night. Not today. I needed that, very much. And…it was perfect."

She said the last part softly, self consciously. He reached up and tugged on her pony tail.

"Well, then…I'm glad. Something we didn't talk about last night though…you're on the pill right?"

Jaida stopped breathing for a second. And then another second. And another.

She didn't have to answer because Ty continued as if she had.

"Yeah, I mean I assume you are since you asked me up here and all. Even though you were a virgin. I mean you were obviously planning to do something like this at some point right?"

He was nervous. And rambling. Jaida simply nodded, unable to speak.

He sighed, relieved.

"Good. Good…"

There was an awkward silence and Jaida's mind was racing a million miles per minute. Oh god.

Ty reached out and pulled her onto his lap, kissing her forehead and wrapping his arms tightly around her.

It made Jaida stop worrying about her lack of common sense. It felt so good to be held.


End file.
